Elderly driver who ran down mum and daughter in supermarket car park caused 'life-changing' injuries
From reporter Joanne Naish:
An 87-year-old motorist who knocked down a mother and daughter in Westport’s New World car park in November has been ordered to pay reparations of $15,000.
Richard Alexander Scadden appeared in the Westport District Court for sentencing on Thursday.
He pleaded guilty in January to two charges of operating a vehicle carelessly and injuring Chelsea Ferguson, 29, and her daughter Pippa, 4.
“One mistake in a split second has changed my life and my capacity to be a mum for the rest of my life,” Ferguson said in a victim impact statement.
Judge Noel Walsh said Ferguson, who attended court on crutches, required nine operations to save her crushed leg, was in hospital for a month and was still undergoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
Pippa suffered a broken collarbone, a fractured wrist and concussion.
“There is nothing the court can say or do to undo the enormous harm that has been done ... you made a terrible error with drastic consequences,” the judge told Scadden.
Judge Walsh said Scadden had driven from Rolleston near Christchurch to Westport, before driving into the New World supermarket at about 4.15pm on November 15 last year.
Ferguson and her three of her children were coming out of the store when Scadden accelerated and drove onto the footpath, crushing Ferguson’s leg against the building.
Ferguson’s victim impact statement said she did not know if she would ever be the same again and could no longer do the things she normally did like walking, driving and looking after her four children, the judge noted.
The children who were with her when it happened were extremely traumatised, with one suffering panic attacks and another nightmares.
The family had just arrived in Westport from Australia for a holiday, and the incident had forced them to “adjust their whole lives” and move to New Zealand.
The children had since enrolled at school in Westport and Ferguson and her husband were unable to work.
Up to January they had incurred expenses for travel to medical appointments and lost income of $67,557, which left them struggling, despite the generous donations people had given them.
“Chelsea describes it as life-changing. She said she relives the crash every time she closes her eyes and thinks about what she could have done to get out of the way,” the judge said.
“It was all over in a second... the engine roared and the car shot forward into the building. I can only assume my foot slipped onto the accelerator,” Scadden said in a letter he wrote to the family.
Judge Walsh said because it was not an easy mistake to make, he had concerns about Scadden’s ability to drive in future.
He disqualified him from driving for six months and ordered him to sit a driving test before being allowed to drive again.
Defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said Scadden had not driven since the crash because he thought it would be disrespectful to be seen driving around Westport.
He knew there had been serious consequences for Ferguson and her family, which would last for a “very, very long time”.
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A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
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